River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-03-31
CHAPTER NIX.

CHAPTER NIX.
A CHECK.
Dawn over the broad Scheldt On
one side Of the river. banks of dark
clouds, of which it was hard to tell vet
whether they had stolen the gloom
from the departed night, or were
threatening disaster to the coming day.
Quaint church-tOwers, windmills. and
independent. isolated-looking hay
stacks, gave a touch of LONELINESS to
the great iatness of the shore. and nu-
merous barges and fishing boats, own
ing some spot in that strange land as
home. took off something from the
v-;rdness of the weltering expanse
Of wide river. paced the deck. with
Shaw, as the eyes of day slowly open
ed. and the mystery and majesty of
night were dissipated. The water was
smooth; there was scarcely breath of
wind; but the air was keen and raw in
the autumn morning. The freshness
of the meadows was strangely mingled
with the sadness of the sea. 1t seemed
years since We had driven from Scot
land Yard to Liverpool Street-months
since we had overhauled the Harwich
aud Dovercourt Hotels; the dark drive
to Hanover Lodge, the stealthy re-
cOnnoitering, and the explosion,
seemed as remote and as far from my
actual experience as any great
terrestrial CONFUSION in some prehistoric
epoch. There was an air of unreality
about the swiftly-gliding steamer. the
silvcr-grey water. and the low land
which seemed to begin in the water and
end in mist.
We had had few hours sleep, and
were not jaded by the exertions of
the past Neutrality-suspicious.; but the
strangeness and suddenness of all that
had happened, the doubt and the fears
of the future. had a depressing effect
upon my mind, and Shaw, although he
spoke calmly and brayely enough, was
anxious 20.
As the day brOadened. passengers,
with the pallid CRIME of an unwonted
night upon their countenances. began
TO appear upon deck. The sight of
ordinary fellow-creatures. cup Of good
coffee, and the appearance of a few
tentative beams of early sunshine. went
far towards restoring cheerfuluess and
something of confidence. The great
tower of Antwerp Cathedral was show
ing clearer and clearer, and the interest
excited by new scene was chasing
away my morbid impressions and
arOusing a wholesome curiosity. l be-
gan to feel confident that we should
succeed in our quest. Shaw h2d held
the language of reinsurance on this
point all along.
at is certainty" hs said. 'Plowitz
is evidently valuable catch, and. with
the telegraph at work. there need be by
this time no place THAI he could reach
which will not be well watched"
but Mary?'' / said
"Mary," said Shaw cOnvincinglv,
''will be perfectly safe. 1t is neither
to his interest nor to anyone's TO harm
her. Her evidence VIII not be particu-
larry valuable, as far as l can gather.
and without her the police evidently
have all the information they want.
No. he went on, .'Piowitz is sure to
be caught now. and when he is taken,
Mary will be safe.
In spite Of these reassuring views
NV anxiety increased to a feverish
pitch as the moment of landing drew
near. In the confusion attending
debarkation I lost hold of the comfort
7 had derived from my companion :
words But after we had gone through
the fOrmalities incident To landing on
Belgian soil, we were accOsted by a
trm-looking gentleman with short,
gray whiskers, a long thin nose with
close nOstrils. and a firm. straight
mouth. He mentioned each of our
names. and Identified US rs we an
swered TO then He then informed US
that he was an agent q the English
police. and that he had received in
structions from Chief Inspector Rose
bush to afford us all possible assistance
in our search for Miss Fortescue: while,
at the same time, he had been advised
that we might be of some service in
tracing flOWltZ.
Mr.. Harper-such, we learned, was
the name of Rosebush's auxiliary
very courteOusly invited US TO his house,
or rather TO the house j.
which he had apartments. on a
semi-of1icial footing. As we were or
the point Of setting of, a subordinate
arrived on the scene, and short cen.
versatiOn in an undertone ensued.
lit is all right" said Mr.. Harper.
turning to Us and showing some signs
of excitement; .'Plowitz has been traced
We can secure him now.
''And the lady?' said Shaw.
1.-The lady-no." answered Harper
"but there Is no doubt that where the
one is found the other viii not be far
or"
suppressed with difficulty an indig
nant desire to put Harper right in BIZ
view Of the relations of the fugitives
but there was no time just then for ex
plantations. and we were soon threading
our way through streets Of tall houses
Presently we emerged into a large
square The bells If the cathedral anC
of innumerable churches were Ginning
and looked -..th some admiration al
the picturesque novelty of the scene
being. ike many Englishmen especially
struck with the old-wOrld figures of tbs
clergy. Two or three venerable-look
inc priests passed US as we crossed tbs
souare. We walked. the three of u:
together. eonversing casually about the
aspect of the town. being perhaps too
anxious TO talk about the business i'm
mediately in hand. Suddenly ! caugh
sight Of figure in the habit Of prizes